Illinois Water Environment Association
Executive Committee Minutes 06/07/2003

The Scheduled Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Water Environment Association was called to order by President Mary Johnson at 10:00 a.m. June 7, 2003 at John Egan WWTP in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Present at the Meeting were Mary Johnson, John Drake, Larry Ziemba, Lou Kollias, Chuck Corley, Toby Duckett, Dave Zenz, John Lamb, Eliana Brown, Ted Denning, and Sam McNeilly.

MINUTES APPROVAL

Toby Duckett moved to approve the meeting minutes from the November 15, 2002, January 15, 2003, March 13, 2003, and May 16, 2003 meetings be approved as amended. Lou Kollias seconded. Motion passed.


BUDGET/FINANCIAL ISSUES

  1. Members review all budget line items. Toby Duckett moved we approve budget, but with advise to chairs to watch expenses and with the goal of no deficit. Larry Zeimba seconded. Motion passed.
  2. The IWEA cancelled its insurance policy with the WEF sponsored carrier, The Anderson Insurance Agency. IWEA contracted with Acuity Mutual to provide liability insurance. The coverage is the same, i.e., general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. However the annual cost is about $500 less and IWEA no longer shares aggregate liability coverage with other WEF member associations.
  3. IWEA paid Anderson Insurance Agency $277 for coverage from April 22, 2003 through June 2, 2003.
  4. Dennis Priewe has sent letter and supporting information to State of Illinois to request non-profit status for the IWEA. This would allow us to exempt from Illinois sales tax.
  5. Members discussed the feasibility of using a bank lock box for all conference and seminar registrations. Mary Johnson, Dennis Priewe, and Herb Anderson will explore this issue further prior to next meeting.
  6. Members discussed establishing the Slyvanus Jackson Scholarship (SJS) as an endowment at SIU/ERTC. Chuck Corley volunteered to approach SIU/ERTC with this proposal. This endowment would not preclude the IWEA from offering SJS money to students at other institutions. Chuck Corley moved the IWEA establish an endowment funded out of current SJS accounts. Larry Ziemba seconded. Motion passed.


OLD BUSINESS

  1. John Drake discussed the IWEA brochure. He solicited several quotes for printing brochure. Executive Committee directed to contract for printing 5000 brochures with low quote printer. Goal is to have brochures ready before State Fair. Even better would be to have them available for July Operators Seminar.
  2. The Constitution and Bylaws are now available on the IWEA website. By posting them on the website we can reduce costs associated with reprinting due to changes and amendments. We are now also posting Executive Committee Meeting Minutes on the website.
  3. John Drake, Lou Kollias, and Larry Ziemba discussed site selection for the 2006 conference. They will be researching sites and will bring a recommendation to the September meeting. They are also exploring the possibility of a joint conference with another professional organization.
  4. Greg Cargill drafted a letter to Nicholas Jones at University of Illinois regarding establishing a joint student chapter with CSWEA at U of I. Members suggested a letter regarding student chapters also be sent to IIT and SIU. Toby Duckett asked that we put together a memo of agreement with CSWEA regarding how joint student chapters be funded and organized. We also need to work with student chapters to provide speakers and suggestions for activities.
  5. Members briefly discussed IWEA only membership.
  6. Members briefly discussed the 2003 Annual Conference. Mary will contact marketing committee regarding how many people attended each session. She will also send out electronic copy of marketing report to all Committee Chairs.


NEW BUSINESS

  1. WEF has scheduled a VSAT Train the Trainer Workshop in Chicago September 9 – 10, 2003. Registration is limited to 25. They offered to hold a position for an IWEA representative if we wanted. Bill Munch was mentioned as a potential representative.
  2. ISAWWA is sponsoring a Homeland Security Seminar in Ottawa August 12, 2003. They asked if we wished to be listed as a co-sponsor and also asked for our mailing list. Sponsorship does not appear to include financial obligations. John Drake volunteered to contact Laurie Papenos of the ISAWWA regarding sponsorship. We don’t give out our mailing list, but would be willing to mail registration forms to our members at our cost.
  3. Herb Anderson, John Drake, and Mary Johnson will research cost of new banners.
  4. Mary Johnson will work with Herb Anderson to develop an electronic format for listing conference attendees that can easily be sent to vendors following the conference.
  5. Members discussed offering CEUs for conference attendance. The task of researching and/or applying for CEUs for the annual conference was assigned to the program committee. Jewel Emerson at the Illinois Board of Certification was suggested as a contact.
  6. Members discussed forming a Young Professionals Committee or sponsoring an activity for young/new members at the next Annual Conference.


COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORTS

  1. Lou Kollias presented the Audit Committee report. Audit will be performed within the next 45 days.
  2. Dave Zenz presented the Biosolids Committee report.
  3. Greg Brunst submitted a written Collection Systems Committee report.
  4. Tony Bouchard submitted a written Industrial Pretreatment Committee report.
  5. John Lamb presented the Laboratory Committee report. The Laboratory section of the website has been update to reflect current IEPA regulations regarding laboratory accreditation. The Laboratory Committee plans to hold a workshop and a technical session at the 2004 Annual Conference.
  6. Ted Denning presented the Membership Recruitment report. Committee is working on putting together packets to send new members. Committee is also working to help establish student chapters. There is a lot of confusion over WEF’s new procedures for counting members. Toby Duckett volunteered to contact WEF regarding:
  7. Eliana Brown presented the Newsletter report. Members suggested a short article for the next Newsletter requesting members for specific committees that may need them. Members suggested adding a calendar of upcoming IWEA events to each newsletter. Mary Johnson volunteered to work on this.
  8. Chuck Corley presented the Nominating Committee report.
  9. Amanda Withers submitted a written Program Committee report.
  10. Fred Dale submitted a written Public Education & Student Affairs Committee report. The committee still needs more volunteers to work at the State Fair Booth. Larry Ziemba read a thank you note from Daria Zolaski regarding her trip to the SJWP competition in Dallas.
  11. Sam McNeilly presented the 10-Day Water Environment Curriculum Committee Report. The committee will have an article in the next newsletter regarding how to purchase copies of the curriculum. The committee is doing a presentation for Rockford area teachers June 23, 2003.
  12. Steve John submitted a written Watershed Committee report.


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORTS

  1. Lou Kollias presented the 2nd Vice President’s report. He requested that dates for the Website Calendar be mailed to him.
  2. Chuck Corley presented the Past President’s report. He continues to solicit pictures for our internet site.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Mary Johnson
President